How To Guard In Basketball. Basketball coaches keep referring to their point guard as the “coach on the floor” or the “quarterback” of the team. You will also hear coaches discuss how their basketball point guard play contributed to their team’s success. Point guards are held more accountable than any other player on the court. A good point guard should be able to cover many tasks that statistics simply do not cover.
Aside from the mandatory basketball skills which point guards must master, there are numerous other skills that are important for this position. This article about How To Guard In Basketball for players will go over some of these different skills and help you master the role of a point guard in basketball.
Controlled Plays by Great Point Guards
A good point guard moves at a constant speed, never losing control. They understand when to speed up and run, as well as when to slow down. The pace is typically determined by the game’s time and score, as well as the coach’s basketball philosophy. As simple as this sounds, far too often you will see a player push the basketball as well as run when it is not necessary, or they will lose control and make poor decisions because they lack a proper sense of the game’s pace.
As a basketball point guard, you must read the flow of the game as well as know when to be assertive and when to slow down.
Another important aspect of playing under control is the ability to handle basketball. It will be easier for point guards to explore the other parts of the game if they are comfortable dribbling the basketball. Make sure you spend time working on different basketball drills which will allow you to improve your ball handling and confidence.
Great point guards recognize the significance of time and scoring.
It is also critical for a point guard to be aware of the time as well as the score of the game. If your team is down ten points with 2 minutes left in the game, the point guard must acknowledge this and push the pace in order to get quick scores. On the other hand, if you are up 4 with two minutes remaining, the point guard must accept this and set up a play to burn some clock while getting a quality shot. Too often, young point guards lose sight of this.
Excellent Point Guards Understand the Offense
A point guard on offense should know each spot of every play in the team’s offense.
A basketball play cannot be started or run correctly if all players are not in the proper position. Point guards must recognize this and direct their teammates to the appropriate positions. They should also understand who is running the basketball play and what the movement is attempting to accomplish.
Great point guards are aware of their teammates’ strengths
Is my center more at ease from the left or right block? Does my shooting guard hit the ball better coming off right or left screens? The point guard should also be aware of the opposing player’s foul trouble or defensive mismatches and also be able to capitalize on them without prompting from the coach.
The more a point guard understands his or her team’s offensive strengths and defensive weaknesses, the simpler it will be to create quality scoring opportunities.
Excellent point guards are team players
Another essential quality of a good point guard is leadership. Are you congregating your teammates up between plays to just let them know what defense you’re in or what play your coach wishes to run? Are you encouraging or reprimanding your teammates?
If your big man has been running the floor but has yet to obtain the ball in the post, continue to encourage him and assure him that you will get him the ball. Are you telling guys who they should be paired with, or are you perplexed yourself?
Do you know the tendencies of all the opposing players or only the ones you’re guarding based on scouting? To truly be a “coach on the floor,” you must understand your team’s and the opponent’s intricacies.
Great point guards make excellent decisions
Another aspect that a point guard cannot ignore is decision-making. Turnovers can be detrimental to the success of a team. The point guard has the most time with the ball and is expected to make good decisions. A good basketball point guard must value the ball and each possession in order for their team to be successful. It extends beyond turnovers to shot choice and personnel knowledge.
Recognize the distinction between a good and a bad shot. Not recognizing the difference can be equated to turnover, as can not recognize your own personnel.
Conclusion
How To Guard In Basketball? Many of these characteristics are gained through game experience, but many can also be gained through film and study. A good point guard, or any basketball player, can never research too much. You never can know if your basketball continues to play too well or find enough instances where you did not lead as well as you should by watching a film. Invest in becoming the best point guard possible, both physically and mentally and your team will benefit greatly.
